Secrets
by A.Z-JusticE
Summary: KakaxSaku. "When will you come back to me Sakura?" Shortfluff. Finished
1. Prologue

**_Secrets - Prologue_**

It was another night in the small hidden village of Konoha, it was strangely cold for a night of mid-spring when it was the season for flowers to bloom.  As the people of Konoha wandered the streets, despite the chill, celebrating a festival at the time when harvesting was in the high times.  All over the streets, there were excited and happy voices of adults and children, enjoying the many stalls filled with games and delicious foods.  All but Hatake Kakashi, who sat deathly quiet in room 209 of ward 6 in the hospital.

He stared at the soft figure that lay lifelessly on the bed before, not once allowing his tired eyes to move away from her.  In so many years of being a Jounin he had never failed to protect someone, or allowed danger on account of him.  And yet it never crossed his mind that she would do that.

He remembered her voice, her laughter, and her smile.  All those times she laughed merrily with the team and him, the times she yelled at him for being late and for reading his favourite book, and definitely the time when she scolded him for trying to be cool, and yet she squealed when Sasuke said the same thing.

Never before had he wished that time could turn back so that he could correct his mistake of not being aware of her presence. 

Hatake Kakashi had been a high-priced target to be assassinated from the bastard he had yet to find out, and on a dark night when the moon wasn't out, they had unleashed a full attack on him.  He had fought easily until he had been caught by the Sharingan owned by none other than Uchiha Itachi.

Why a powerful guy like Itachi was under command was beyond his understanding.  He had been caught and was yet again being tortured for 72 hours straight in a mere blink of an eye until he felt a rather harsh slap on his face that awoken him from the torture. 

He slumped to the ground and felt the area where he had been slapped burn up as he stared directly into a pair of beautiful emerald eyes that looked angry and concerned at the same time, but the words that came out of those lips were different to what her eyes held.  Even in a time like this, her pretty and cheerful smile spread across her face.

"I'm so glad you're alright, Kakashi—" her eyes had widened when a series of kunais had been shot relentlessly into her back.  Before he could command her not to turn around she had already done so, and being caught up in the unforgettable torture of the mind.

What happened to his body he didn't know, but he could only watch as a second later she let an ear piercing scream and collapsed lifelessly on the dirt ground before him, tears streaking her face, her beautiful eyes now dull.

He lost control of himself and couldn't remember what happened after that, except he awoke in his own bed while the other Jounins sat around him.

Kakashi let out a sigh as he moved his hand to caress her face that seem to be sleeping peacefully, only, he fully understood that she was unconscious who knows what the hell Itachi had planted in her mind.

"When will you come back to me Sakura?" he whispered painfully before he was able to stop himself from admitting his deepest secret.

tbc


	2. Secrets Revealed

**_Secrets – Secrets Revealed_**

It had been a full three weeks that she had been unconscious, and it pained him every day that it was because of him that she was like that.  He had been by her side everyday for the first two weeks, hoping that she'd wake up soon so that he could see her smile again, her beautiful eyes, and heck even just for her to yell at him. 

He had been outraged when he was ordered to go on a C rank mission.  Never before had he questioned or argued about a mission, but just this once he didn't want to go.

"It's just a C-rank mission.  Please get someone else to go." He had said.

"Kakashi," the 5th hokage spoke in a low and even voice. "We all know what has happened to Sakura, and we know how it's affecting you, so we need you to pull yourself together."

He turned so that his back was towards her.

"You can't possibly understand how I feel, because even I don't understand it myself." He said before taking his leave.

"Everyone is worried about you Kakashi.  You've never been this way before.  What good will it do if Sakura wakes to see you half gone from this world, and even worse, if you don't pull yourself together, you'll lose your life, the very one she tried to protect!"

And in the end he left Konoha just to shut the old lady up, knowing that deep down she was right.

When he finally returned, the day he had anxiously awaited since the day he set out, he visited the hospital as soon as he set foot in the village.

He walked along the halls, his footsteps echoing in the same beat as his heart as he made his way to her room.  As he opened the door and stepped in he caught sight of her empty bed.  He was automatically on guard as he took a quick scan of the room.

_Sakura?__  The bed isn't made, the window isn't open, the flowers are fresh.  Where is she?_

He ran down the hallway down to the front desk and asked heavily where Sakura was.  They looked shocked that she wasn't in her room and they began to search for her.  A dark feeling began to brew over him as he thought of all the horrible possibilities that could have happened to her.  He clenched his fists and ran through the hospital, and somehow found himself in the hospital's garden.

He stopped when he saw her standing a few feet away from him.  He breathed heavily as he stared at her simple beauty as she stood under the cherry blossom tree in the white clothes that the hospital gave to patients.  She had a small smile on her face gazing up as the cherry blossom leaves fell delicately around her,  making her feel like a princess.

She felt his presence and turned to look straight into his grey eyes.  And in the moment, no words could be used to show how much their eyes expressed.  They gazed at each other in silence, as if everything they wanted to say was being said at that moment.

He walked slowly to her, not once leaving her gaze.  When he finally stood in front of her, he thought it was all a dream.  She was finally back, and she was looking at him with those beautiful emerald eyes of hers.

"Okaerinasai." She said softly smiling up at him, just as if she knew that he had returned from a mission.

Realization hit him, and it hit him hard.  He loves her, and god, just how long did he love her in silence? He had taught her and been with her through so many years, not knowing what his gazes had meant, why he annoyed her just so she could yell at him, why he did all those things just to get a reaction from her.

Unable to hold back anymore, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close into his chest.

"No…Okaeri Sakura." He said while stroking her hair.

Her eyes had widened as he pulled her close, now that she felt his warmth, relief and happiness flooded through her body as she buried her head into his shoulders and wrapped her arms around him.

"Unh.  Tadaima Kakashi."

**_Hmm epilogue?_****_ Or no epilogue?  What should I do?_**

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**Okaeri**** nasai – Welcome home **

**Okaeri**** – "same as above just not as formal"**

**Tadaima**** – "I'm back."**


	3. Epilogue

**_Secrets - Epilogue_**

They stood together out in the garden that flowed of pink blossoms for what seemed like an eternity, not wanting to release their hold on each other.

Finally she managed to pull herself away a little to gaze into his eyes.  Sometimes she could really frustrate herself from not knowing what she wanted to do.  She loved looking at his face although half the time it was covered, and other times she wanted to just hold him, or just simply hear his voice.  Of course, holding him before today had been absolutely out of league, so sometimes she'd just sit there on a rock and listen to voice, while looking like she was thinking hard about something during training.

Once their eyes locked, they couldn't look anywhere else.  And during these short sweet moments, apologies didn't seem necessary.  Kakashi wasn't sorry that he'd been impulsive enough to finally take her in his arms, he wasn't sorry she finally knew how he felt, and he certainly wasn't damn sorry that he wanted to do it again.

On any other day before this moment, he would have held her when he finally couldn't stand it anymore, but he would have made a fast embrace and apologised for doing something so uncalled for.

But right now, no apologies, no excuses, and no words were necessary.  The only reason why they spoke was to soothe each other with their own voices, something they've never treasured themselves.

When he finally found his voice he spoke up.

"Sakura…why did you do it?  Why did you do something so reckless?" he asked softly.

"Because I wanted to, because I didn't want you to suffer anymore…" she answered simply.  "It would be too much if I saw you die in front of me."

"I wouldn't have died." He chuckled.  _I wouldn't have died before letting you know somehow._

_Funny how I thought falling for my student would be such a wrong thing…now standing here, nothing could be more right._

"You could have.  I never want to see that.  I'd never accept it." She bowed her head and stepped closer to him once again, his arms automatically tightening around her small body.

"Sakura, let's go inside.  You shouldn't be out now." He coaxed her gently.  Strangely, he used to use the same voice while encouraging her never to give up during missions and training, but never before had she felt so much from it.

She shook her head.  Her body ached from lying on that hospital bed too much, and she wanted fresh air.  She needed this atmosphere, this weather, she needed him just so that she was sure that he was safe, and that what Itachi had planted in her mind could no longer haunt her.

"Neh…Kakashi." She suddenly brightened.  "May I remove your mask?"

He blinked slowly, looking down at her.  No one had seen him with his mask off before. 

"Onegai." She smiled up at him lovingly.  He gave a slow nod, and she moved her hand up gently to his face.

His throat tightened.  "I have to warn you.  After you remove my mask, I will do something that wearing this mask has stopped me from doing. And I won't be sorry about it either."  She stopped her hand in mid air, thinking about what he said.

_Surely he wouldn't kill me.  But I guess if he can make me forget somehow…I guess I'd be satisfied knowing one way or another that I saw the face of the man I love._

Her heart pounded in anticipation.  In so many years of being with him, she had always wondered what kind of man lay under that mask.  She had never pitched in with Naruto and Sasuke's attempts at pulling it off, but nevertheless she had always been curious to see.  She trembled just from the thought that she'd see _the_ Hatake Kakashi's face soon.

When his face was finally revealed, she only stared.  He was more handsome than she had ever dreamed.  She had never seen him look so solemn as this moment, but god he was beautiful.  Could anyone's face be in more proportion, could any other compare to him?  His nose, his lips, his jaw, she'd never seen anything like it.  Even the scar through his left eye didn't mar his good looks.  Her lips went dry, but she just couldn't stop herself.  She couldn't take her eyes off him.He was simply a god.

_It's really him.  It's really Hatake Kakashi in front of me._

_He looks so solemn, so serious right now.  The only time I've ever seen him so serious is when he's challenging someone. Is he really…_

Kakashi took a step towards her, and she instinctively stepped back. What would he do to her? She wasn't exactly scared, but she was uncertain, and yet she still couldn't take her eyes off him.  He kept advancing until she backed up against the tree.  She moved her head up high as he stood so close to her she felt his breath on her.

He silently cupped her face gently in his hands, and he looked deep into her confused eyes, before lowering his head and covering her lips with his own.  Her eyes widened, as he slowly withdrew.  She just stared at him her chest rising and falling, she couldn't believe what just happened.

"I told you I'd do what I'd held back for so long…and I told you I wouldn't be sorry about it." He said with her face still in his hands.  His eyes were so tender as he looked over her, growing into concern as a silent tear slipped down her cheek.  He used his thumb to gently brushed it away.

"Kakashi…" she covered his hand with her own.  "I love yo—" he cut her into silence with his lips again, this time she melted into his embrace, returning his kisses.  He parted his lips slightly silently asking.  She couldn't stop herself even if she wanted to, and the fact is she didn't.  She gave in and parted her lips and allowed him to enter and caress her lips, the insides of her mouth and her tongue with his own.

When he finally pulled back to give them both some air, she bit her lower lip gently and moved her hand to her lips.  The feeling was so new, and it was so fresh that she could still feel him.  Her cheeks had flushed a bright pink.

He laughed softly, his rich voice tingled her body.

"Now let's go inside.  Did you think I'd forget your attempt at changing the subject?" he teased.  She blushed harder.

"No it's just that I—you knew I was changing the subject?" she asked incredulously.  He kissed her softly on the forehead and reacher for her hand.

"And you—" she continued.

"I would have it sooner or later…it would be a matter of time before I couldn't stop myself" he said shyly as he looked back at her smiling before he slipped his mask back on.  She just melted at his smile and felt warm all over from his looks, his embrace and his kiss.

"Now stop chatting, we're going inside whether you like it or not." He ran his gloved hand through his hair and smiled to himself feeling more happy than ever.

She had returned, and she was his now, this they both knew.

**_Ahh_****_ done._****_  Sorry for those who wanted something longer, I only intended this to be short fic.  Actually I planned it to be one chapter only, a real short one-shot, just got carried away.  It's the shortest I've ever written.  But I hope you enjoyed it._**

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**_Hehe_****_ I don't mind the number of reviews, just something really inspired me to write this so here it is.  Thanks for reading!_**


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